The Ferrari FF Is Actually A Fantastic Everyday Car

Trending News: Ferrari Loaned Me A Race Car To Do My Groceries

Why Is This Important?

Who doesn't like getting their errands done really fast?

Long Story Short

Ferrari of New Jersey called and asked if I wanted to try driving a race car with a trunk for a few days. Since we're expecting Il Commendatore's company to unveil a (slightly) redesigned FF any day now, I obliged. A few days later I was sliding out of my Honda and into a Ferrari FF to see how well a track tool works as a daily driver. (Spoiler alert: It works beautifully).

The Ferrari Shock

Mike McAlpine

The drive home from picking it up was intimidating to say the least — the amazingly laid-back people at Ferrari literally threw me the keys to a $380,000 car (as tested), walked me through the complicated steering wheel buttons (five mins), and told me to have fun. To be honest, I didn't learn much about the car on the drive back home as I was overwhelmed with the sheer capabilities (and price) of the amazing machine they had entrusted to me.

Where Do You Park A Ferrari?

Mike McAlpine

After a short drive, I arrived at my home in the northeast where I was forced to park it in front of my garage rather than in it as it was so too wide to fit, thus creating the basis for a sleepless night. I had semi-lucid dreams where squirrels were at scratching the paint trying to bury acorns; skunks were spraying the front grill just for the hell of it; and a team raccoons were stealing the wheels (they really do have unbelievable dexterity).

Owning A Ferrari Must Be Stressful

The FF And The Daily Grind

Ferrari

Day one of tests would be a simulated day doing what I would normally do with my daily driver. I got up early to make the most of the short time I would have with the car. The first thing that I discovered? Starting a race car is, to put it mildly, loud.

The FF Trunk

Mike McAlpine

With a trunk full of random bits of shopping, including eight grocery bags, I piled in a case of beer and half a case of wine. Getting everything to fit was no problem, but to get back on the parkway I had to use an on-ramp that was only about twenty yards long — an extraordinary feat of timing for most cars.

Touring

Mike McAlpine

For day two of testing I decided to take it cruising to see how it faired as a Grand Tourer. I took all the back roads I could between my house in Connecticut to get to Bear Mountain in New York State — it was simply breathtaking with the colors of late fall and the near summer temperatures.

A Thrill Like No Other

Mike McAlpine

With the radio off, so as to soak up as much of the absolutely beautiful engine noise as possible, I carved the winding roads that lead from the Hudson all the way to the peak of Bear Mountain. This was one of the truly great driving experiences of my life — words do not do it justice.

Ferrari FF Brakes

If You Can Afford One, Why Not?

Ferrari

I went into this test thinking that the FF was going to be ridiculous and totally impractical. I returned the car understanding how Ferrari makes a living: They make race cars that can legitimately be used every day in almost every circumstance.